SPATIAL GRAPHICAL USER INTERFACES (GUIS) FOR COMPLEX DECISION
SUPPORT IN TIME-CRITICAL SITUATIONS
M. Mueller1, D. Dransch1, M. Wnuk2
1 - GeoForschungsZentrum Potsdam (GFZ), Geoinformation
management and -visualisation,
2 - Deutsches Zentrum fuer Luft- und Raumfahrt (DLR)
Oberpfaffenhofen, Information Technology, Wessling,
matthias.mueller@gfz-potsdam.de
Complex and
time critical situations that can be found within the context of early warning
require well-designed spatial Graphical User Interfaces (GUIs) which support
decision making in a suitable way. They have to present several related
spatio-temporal information: the event itself, like flood or tsunami waves;
data from different sensors in their spatial distribution and temporal
processes; as well as results from vulnerability and risk modelling with their
spatial patterns and cost distribution. The spatial GUI of an early warning
system needs an efficient visualization of each single information as well as
of its combinations. To meet this challenge, the spatial GUI has to be shaped
and organised according to the principles of user- and task-orientation as well
as cognition.
In a
subproject of the German-Indonesian Tsunami Early Warning System (GITEWS) we
develop a spatial GUI for complex decision making in a time critical situation.
The situation is characterized as follows: an initial event triggers different
sensors in a sensor network. If an earthquake event occurs, the seismological
sensors alert the guard commander in the control centre. Other sensors follow
and deliver data to the control unit - for instance ocean buoys which prove
whether a Tsunami wave passed through, or coastal tide gauges which detect
water levels. Additionally, Tsunami wave models predict where and when the wave
will hit the shore and risk models indicate the vulnerability of an area. The
data have different levels of quality which change over time because more
precise sensor data arrive at the system. All this information has to be
processed and understood by the actor in the control room who has to decide
whether and where to deliver a warning to the people at the coast.
The
question of our research is how the users of the Tsunami Early Warning System
can be supported in fulfilling their tasks in this time-critical situation with
the assistance of an appropriate information visualization and interaction
mode. A consequent and systematic task analysis with scenario-, workflow- and
use case descriptions forms the basis for the requirements of the spatial GUI.
To avoid information overload a concept of information aggregation into
incidents was developed. A consistent, clear and salient visualization of the
spatio-temporal information, as well as suitable interactive windows guide the
users through the decision process. This paper will present the concept and the
preliminary design results of the spatial GUI as part of the decision support
system (DSS) within the GITEWS project.